Apparatus for distilling and coking heavy hydrocarbon liquids



May 19, 1931. A. s. KNowLEs ET A1. 1,805,720

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING AND COKING HEAVY HYDROCARBON LIQUIDS Filed June 25, 1928 Patented May 19, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALEXANDER S. KNOWLES CHARLES W. ANDREWS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A8- SIGNORS TO TAR PETROLEUM PROCESS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COR- PORATION OF ILLINOIS APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING AND COKING- HEAVY HYDROCARBON LIQUIDS Application med June 25, 1928. Serial No. 288,183.

This invention relates to a new and improved apparatus for distilling andv coklng heavy hydrocarbons, and more particularly to an apparatus adapted for the complete distillation and cracking of the volatile constltuents and the reduction of the residue to merchantable coke. It is also adapted for use in connection with other liquid hydrocarbons than crude oil.

In our prior application Serial No. 227,500, iiled October 20, 1927, we have disclosed a method for the treatment of petroleum residues and other heavy hydrocarbons for the distillation of the remaining volatiles and the production of coke. In application Serial No. 218,453, filed September 9, 1927, there is shown an oven suitable for such treatment of heavy hydrocarbons. v

We have found that for many purposes 1t is desirable to introduce the heavy hydrocarbon into our oven or distillation unit yat a high temperature. We have also found that unless there are extensive recuperators or other heat recovery devices connected with the heating portion of our ovens, there are considerable heat losses as it is necessary to keep the floors of the ovens at a coking temperature.

In a number of the standard oil treatment and cracking processes, such, for example, as the Jenkins process, the oil is treated in metal containers and it is important to keep the temperature of such containers below a point which would injure the containers or contents. For this reason it is usually necessary to separate the containers from direct contact with the iame by means of refractory walls or partitions. These features involve heat losses and there is the attendant danger of the walls burning away and causing the overheat-ing of the still or the cracking of tubes of the cracking apparatus. This may ruin'the'A contents and destroy the still.

It is an object of our present invention to provide a combined apparatus and method whereby the crude oil orthe like may be completely treated and the non-volatile residue recovered as merchantable coke.

It is an additional object to provide such an apparatus and method wherein there is a minimum heat loss.

It is also an object to provide a method and apparatus involving a plurality of units such as a preliminary distillation or cracking unit and a final unit for additional distillation and coke production.

It is an additional object to provide such a method and construction whereby the waste heat from the inal distillation and coke production unit is utilized in the primary distillation or cracking unit.

Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

We have illustrated somewhat diagrammatically in the single figure comprising the drawing, an apparatus adapted for carrying out our improved method. In the drawing, a usual type of still for use in the Jenkins cracking process is shown at 11. This still is provided with a motor driven propeller 12 which circulates the oil being treated downwardly through the riser 13 to the drum 14. From the drum 14 the oil passes through pipes 15 to the drum 16. From the drum 16 the treated oil returns to the body of the still through the riser 17. The pipe 18 leads from the still, through the pump 19, to the distributing pipe 20 in the upper chamber 21 of the oven 22. The pipe is controlled by valve 23. The oven 22 is fully described in our prior applications above referred to.

This oven has a basket 24 or similar device containing crushed coke or the like 25, located in the upper chamber 21. In the main` chamber 26 is the rotating basket 27, carried on trunnions 28 and 29. The basket is rotated through power supplied from any desired means to the gear 30. The basket 27 preferably also contains crushed coke. The

floor -31 of the oven is preferably formed of refractory material such as hard, dense brick, comprising per cent or more of aluminum oxide. This material has been found to have the required qualities and stand the high heat and the application of liquid at high temperatures without spalling and cracking. The layer of coke 32 is shown as formed upon the ioor 31.

The combustion flue 33 is llocated below the floor 31 and the burner or fuel introduction pipe 34, controlled by valve 35, leads to this Hue. The combustion flue 33 is connected to the regenerator lues 36 and 37. The pipe or passage 38, controlled by valve 39, connects the lower regenerator flue 37 with the heating chamber 40 of the Jenkins Still 11. The additional passage 41, conv trolled by valve 42, leads from the combustion flue 33 to the flue 38 at appoint beyond the Jenkins still is enclosed with refractory walls 43 and has an intermediate baffle wall 44 which causes the hot gases to pass upwardly and downwardly through the tubes 15 to reach the flue 45 which carries ol the gases.

In the operation of the apparatus crude oil, or other liquid hydrocarbon suitable for treating by the Jenkins or other distillation and crackin process, is introduced into the cracking sti l 11. It will be understood thats while the Jenkins still has been shown, this is merely by wa of illustration, and any type of still or crac ing apparatus may be used at this point. The liquid hydrocarbon is treated in a mass in such stills at a moderate temperature which normally will run between 600 to 900 F. Y

After the oil has been treated in this still the heavy residue of this treatment is carried through pipe 18 by pump 19 to the distributing pipe 20 in the top of the oven 22. This heavy residue will be at a comparatively high temperature as itA comes from the still, which temperature may be from 500 to 600 F.V The heated liquid is distributed b pipe 2O over the crushed material in the asket 2.4 and drops down on to the rotating basket 27. As it passes down through the material in the two baskets an additional distillation takes place and the volatiles are carried ofi' through the upper passage 46. The material is spread in thin films over the coke or other material, causing large surface contact with the ascending volatile gases. This facilitates heat transfer as well as distillation. While still in the liquid form the material drops to the lloor 31 which floor is maintained at a coking temperature and the material is coked thereon.

The lues 33 are carried at a hi h temperature and the products of com ustion are assed through pipe 38 to the heating cham- Eer 40 of the primary still or cracking unit. The temperature of the gases assing to the chamber 40 may be controlle by\means of valves 39 and 42. Any or all of the gases ma be taken direct from the combustion Hue 33 y means of passage 41. If it is desired to reduce the temperature somewhat the gases may be taken direct through flue 38 from the regenerator ue 37 by openin valve 39. It

will be lunderstood that this s owing isdiagrammatic in character and that there will be a plurality of regenerator flues 36 and 37 side by side which Will be used alternately for the introduction of air for combustion in the upper ues 33 and for the carrying off of the hot gases and storing of heat received from such gases.

By means of the apparatus shown we accomplish a very conslderable saving of heat both by utilizing the waste heat from the oven flues in heating the primary distillation unit, and also by introducing the residue into the oven while still hot from the primary process. Such a combination of units utilized according to our method, therefore, accomplishes a complete treatment of crude petroleum or the like with a maximum recover of the volatiles and solids and with the minimum of heat losses. y

Our description of our method and of an apparatus for carrying out our method is illustrative only as both method and apparatus are capable of modification and change to meet varying conditions, and we contemplate such variations as come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A paratus for the treatmentof heavy liquidl ydrocarbons, comprising a distilla tion apparatus, means for continuously passing the liquid through the distillation apparatus, a heating chamber for the distillation apparatus, a closed, stationary coking chamber for treating heavy liquid residue from the distillation apparatus, a pipe for passing heated 1i uid from the distillation apparatus to the co 'n chamber, heating ilues for they coking cham r and a connection for leading waste heating fluid from said iues to said heating chamber.

2. Apparatus for the treatment of heavy liquid hydrocarbons, comprising a closed stationary coking chamber, means for passing material through said chamber in thin films, heating ilues for said chamber, a distillation apparatus for/distilling the liquid hydrocarbon, a heating chamber for said distillation apparatus, means for continuously passing the liquid through said distillation apparatus, means for passing liquid residue from the distillation apparatus to the coking chamber, and a connection between the heating lues of the coking chamber and the heating chamber for leading waste heating Huid from said iues to said heating chamber.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 13th day of June, 1928.

l ALEXANDER S. KNOWLES. CHARLES W. ANDREWS. 

